James eamspoed feeeland



(No Model.)

J. vR. FREELAND.

SI'NGLETRBE.

No. 383,851. Patented May 22, 1888.

- orney,

V N. Firms PlloicrLilllngl-mpbbn Washingluri. n: c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES RAMSFORD FREELAND, OF YVELLSVILLE, NEYV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWIN COL'ION BRADLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

SINGLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,351, dated May 22, 1888.

(No mcdel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES RAMSFORD FREE- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wellsville, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Singletrecs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to [O which it appertains to make and use the same,

reference being had to the accozn pan ying d rawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 isa perspective view of so much of a running-gear ol'a vehicle as is necessary to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail view of my improved device. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of the same; and Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on line :0 00, Fig. 3. Like letters of reference denote correspond ing parts in the several figures.

My invention relates to regulating devices I for the singletrees of buggies and all other kinds of vehicles using singletrees instead of donbletrees; but it is also adapted to be used in connection with the attachment of the singletrees to a doubletree.

The object of my invention is to construct a regulating device whereby the play of the singletree upon the bolt by means of which it is attached either to the pole or to the double tree, as the case may be, may be regulated, substantially in the same-manner and for the same purpose as described in the specification 5 relating to my improvement in doubletrees for which Letters Patent of the United States, No. 374,468, were issued to me under date of December 6, 1887.

The nature of this improvement in its apo plication to singletrees will readily be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the letter A designates one end of a doubletree, through which a bolt, B, is inserted, and upon this bolt the singletree 5 (shown at O) is pivoted in such a manner that it may turn freely. In order to prevent wear or undue chafingof the upper part of the doubletree and the under side of the singletree, both of these are provided with chafing or friction plates, as shown at a and c, rcspect- 5o ively.

The letter D designatesabail, made of suit able metal,and having an enlarged part, (I, at its upper end, through which the pivotbolt B is inserted. At its lower end this bail 5 terminates in a plate, E, which maybe fast ened to the under side of the doubletree by means of bolts, screws, or in any other suitable manner. The nut F of the bolt bears against this plate E.

The singletree is provided with a rearwardlyprojecting bail or segment, G, the opposite ends of which may conveniently be fastened in plate 0, or they may be fastened in the body of the singletrce in any desired manner. This bail or segment, which, in conjunction with the bail-piece D, forms the regulating device, is provided with two shoulders or oflsets, g g, on opposite sides of the vertical bail-piece D. The latter is provided on its inner side with an offset, H, having a groove or recess, h, in which the middle part of the segment G is free to play between its shoulders g 9; but it will be seen that the offset 11 forms a stop or limit to the play of the segment, which is controlled by said shoulders g g striking against opposite sides of the offset H. It will also be seen that this offset will prevent the singletree from doubling or turning upon the doubletree so as to strain the pivot-bolt, and in this manner it will be seen that the play of the singletree is limited not only in a horizontal plane by means of the shoulders 95 and the oliset H, but also in a Vertical plane by the bail or segment G bearing against the under side of the said off set H, thus relieving the bolt from undue strain and preventing it from becoming strained bent, or distorted.

It will readily be observed that a construc- 0 tion, arrangement, and operation of my device is preeisely the same, whether the single tree be attached to a doubletree, as in Fig. 2, or to the pole of a buggy or other vehicle using but a single horse, as in Fig. 1. In the latter case the bail D is simply fastened at its lower end upon thepole, its upper end engaging the top of a pivot-bolt, which is inserted through the pole, and upon which the singletree swings and draws.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the pose shown and set forth. United States- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my The combination of the singletree provided own I have hereunto affixed my signature in with a renrwardly-projeeting bail or segment presence of two witnesses. havin two stops or offsets the bolt upon A w T which the singletree is pivoted and on which JAMES Rmbmm) PREELMD' it draws, and the rearwardlyprojecting bail or segment fastened at opposite ends to opposite ends of the bolt, and provided with an offset or shoulder overlapping and adapted to engage the shoulders on the rearwardly-projecting bail, substantially as and for the puri5 \Vitnesses:

WILLIAM BRUCE, N. L. WILLIAMS. 

